St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-07-21

brought it to his chief. The editor
was quite quick enough to see that it
had never been read or even opened
before.
"You are just in time" said Marcy;
not SO much as waiting to apologize,
''fOr me to read you the full text of our
despatch in it's last revision. / had
Clinton here, well, till two o'clock last
night, and Maxwell and the chief him
self sat where you are sitting. These
are the rough draughts most of it, of
course, is mine. But the chief himself
drew this, and | am bound to say it is
in his best style. Mr.. elliott, here,
was good enough to make a clean
copy, while | caught a nap there. L
have been sketching the instructions,
which will GO with it to Franklin and
to Stowell. Mr.. elliott will give us
clean drafts of these, while l am read
ing. Put up your feet, and I'll read"
So he rang for cup of coffee and
some oysters for his guest, and while
Orcutt partOOk of this scant rejection,
the great secretary read to him that
celebrated despatch on the length of
the marine league and the true limits
of blockade. Logical and clear, it
moved steadily from point to point,
and compelled conviction. 1t asserted
the rights of mankind in language
which was absolute it stated the posi-
ton of the nation in the maintenance
of these rights for the world as for it
self. 1t ended with ten lines of sharp
and indignant comment on the petit
ness and duplicity of the dispatches,
to which it replied, from two great
powers.
The reading occupied the better part
of an hour. When Marcy had finished,
he and his friend looked each other
steadily in the eye for minute with
out speaking, without winking. But
the editor smiled gravely in approval.
"Will it dOq"
cit is simply perfect" said he. cit
sends one back to the Protector and
John Milton. While you read grad
ually forgot our modern races, nor re-
membered the existence of leading
article. DOq Why, you redeem di-
plOmacy when you make such record
of common sense"
The secretary was we'll pleased. He
even blushed. 81 am glad you were
the first person to hear it after it was
put together"
$50 am l." said the other and again
there was long pause. The secreta-
ry rang for two more cups of coffee.
"YOu have something to say" he
said, at last.
"Perhaps," said the other. eyes
have. Charles-yOu men here-yOu
do not know the country as well as we
do"
"YOu are always saying that" re-
piled the great diplomatist, annoyed.
because it is true. You are shut
up here in your palaces. You are
reading letters from cOnsuls and plen
ipOtentiaries. We are knocking about
among men who speak bad English,
and buy lean cattle to fatten them"
And he paused again.
eyes 2" said the secretary, nneasily.
"And-in word" said the editor.
"Charles-I wish-well--I hate to say
i'll wish you would cut off your
snapper at the end. 1t is good as gold.
1t is better. 1t is perfect as repartee.
1t is threat without threatening. But
it is threat, all the same. Charles, the
country will not back you in it,"
"Fudgep
"Charles, | know the country. This
country is not prepared for that war.
Those ten lines mean war-and will
make war. This country will cheer
you at the beginning, and abandon
yOu-as sure as you live. Say to your
chief that l say So"
"YOu want me to cut off my perfect
?"
eyes: And you had rather cut off
y our left hstnd.'
"Of course l had," said the secreta-
ry. "JOhn, it is the only passage
which | care a penny for in the de-
spatch."
81 knew you would say So"
The great man walked up and down
his Office three times. Mr.. elliott still
copied on the instructions. No one
said anything.
Then the secretary came to the
table, and drew two broad
strokes of pen across the offending
passage. He rang and ordered his
carriage. 81 will take it to the chief.
"YOu have conquered, Galilean !"
But neither of them smiled, even.
They almost crushed each others
hands as they parted. The editor
looked at his watch, and went to his
breakfast.
V.
Bearers of dispatches travel quickly,
and in a very few days this critical
despatch was read in the chancelleries
of both of the sovereigns to whom it
was addressed. There was little
sovereign and great sovereign. The
little sovereign would wait to do what
the great sovereign babe him and the
Wnnl1 do what his
great chancellor advised him.
The great chancellor babe his man
Friday read the Marcy despatch aloud
cellOr then sent the man Friday to bed,
and read it again and again himself,
before he followed the man Fridays
The next morning, over his
coffee, he read it again. He then sum-
nOned the field marshal julius and the
secretary of the admiralty, whose name
was Nearchus, and he said "Gentle-
men, you may give holidays to your
people. This breeze has blown over"
And when they both seemed surprised
for their departments had been at
work day and night for weeks-the
great chancellor said: "Between our
selves, gentlemen, we must not fight
ill we have better case. These peO-
pie yOnder put the thing so we'll that
Ill Europe and all the neutral powers
will be with them and do not mind
aging to you, our friends of the Oppo-
itiOn would handle us badly at home.
Now, if they had Dragged never so lit
lie, if could appeal to wounded pride,
IT national honor, could say they had
nsulted US, that would be one thing,
md we would gladly send you gentle
men to blow them all out of the water
II into the land. But as it is-well,
suppose it is as well. The truth is,